Johnny Rotten Blasts Avril and Kelly ‘tub o' lard’ Osbourne.

08-18-03
Keavin.

The Sex Pistols’ Johnny Rotten (Real name
John Lydon) has not mellowed with age and still keeps up his punk rock
rebellion and disgust with popular culture. He gave a recent interview
to the Long Island Press where he aired his views on modern punk and had
some not so kind words for Avril Lavigne and Kelly Osbourne.

The burning debate over what is and isn’t
punk still rages to this day. Especially with corporate sponsored power-pop
groups that wear designer “punk cloths” and parade themselves under the
punk rock banner. This has certainly been a hot topic of debate here at
antiMUSIC and it appears that the debate rages in other arenas as well,
including the offices of the Long Island Press.

The interviewer then asked, “Are there
any bands now who...” Lydon obviously knew what was coming and responded,
“Anyone who's parading under a hundred-thousand-dollar-plus video is not
free from corporate. That's just the MTV advertising agency. I find them
all to be just a bit of a sham. I mean I don't mind, I don't care, that's
for some people who are into that. But don't be telling me what my life
is. Because in the likes of Kelly Osbourne and this silly Lavigne thing,
yapping on about what punk is or isn't—it's just unbearable. At their age,
if they're calling me old, then I want to know why they haven't done nothing
of their own. Nothing. It's all borrowed from my life. Therefore, they
have no word of any value in it.”

“You'll find that empty vessels make the
most sound,” Lydon said following a half asked follow up question. ”And
the ones that proclaim themselves the most punk are the least.”

He went on to speak about the Sex Pistols
desire to play Iraq, “It's a simple enough idea. It's for the people of
Iraq. I know what being disenfranchised means, I come from that and still
am. Here we are, the Sex Pistols, we have no record company backing, we
have no sponsorship deal. We're kind of on our own—as it always has been—and
these poor bastards have got it tenfold. Nobody's doing anything for them.
They're still arguing over water.”

Lydon explained that if the Sex Pistols
did play Iraq it would be a benefit show and not a publicity stunt. He
also took the opportunity to take a swipe at the Vans Warped Tour. “If
we're in this for the money, I'd like you to tell me why we're going out
at such a low ticket price, [compared to] your Warped Tours [with] your
so-called fake punks, which of course we're never invited on.”

When asked about the Rock N Roll Hall of
Fame, Lydon said, “That's one of the very few places in this life I wouldn't
break into because there's nothing worth nicking. They put up these exhibitions
of the Pistols there. It's all fake! It's all rubbish!”

But he saved most of his venom for Kelly
Osbourne when the topic rounded back to the reality TV star/wanna be popstar.
“You need to see the rich kids, how they get it wrong: Kelly Osbourne,
Kelly Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne. (laughing) Poor girl! Her big rebel statement
is ‘I'm a punk!’ (loud laughter) Well sorry missus, but you're not. You're
fat, that's all. (laughing) You're a fatty. She's a tub o' lard. (laughing)
Cheers.”